Tire inflator



June 9, 1942. J. c. CROWLEY TIRE' INFLATOR Filed April 24, 1940 INVENTOR. C. CeowLtY JOHN Patented `lune 9, 1942 TIRE INFLATOR John C. Crowley, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

'signor to The Dill Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 24, 1940, Serial No. 331,450

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a tire inflator and more particularly to a tire inlator which embodies means for determining the pressure in the tire. g

The tire inator embodying the present invention constitutes an improvement upon the tire inator shown in Moody Patent No. 2,040,868, issued May 19, 1936.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a tire inator such as is shown in said Moody Patent 2,040,868 but wherein the pressure gauge and the air chuck on the end of the supply line are positively connected to the iniiator yet can be disconnected therefrom without the necessity of disassembling the inflator.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a tire inator of the type specified wherein certain operative parts of the inlator, such as the valve cores or insides can be removed or replaced without disassembling the inator.

Further and additional objects and advantages not hereinbefore specified will become apparent hereinafter during the detailed description of an embodiment of the invention which is to follow.

Referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating said embodiment,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the tire inlator and is taken substantially on line I-I of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the inatonvand Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The tire inflator shown in the drawing includes a split housing or casing 5 which com prises complementary sections 6 and 1. These sections are secured together in any convenient manner as by means of screws or bolts 8. The casing simulates the conguration of a pistol and has a gripping portion at one end which is at an angle to the axis of the main portion.

Recesses or substantially semi-spherical cavities are formed in the sections 6 and 1 and which provide a chuck cavity or chamber 9 at the inlet end to receive a chuck IIJ on the end of a supply hose II from any suitable supply of air under pressure. The chuck I0 may be of any conventional type such as the Dill or Schrader types, although a Dill type chuck is shown herein by way of illustration.

The chuck I0 can be readily and positively positioned and secured in the cavity or chamber (Cl. IS7-69.5)

9 by means of a setscrew I2. Likewise, of course, the chuck can be removed readily by loosening said setscrew when it is desired to disconnect the inflator from the supply hose II, as, for example, at night when a gas station is closed.

The sections 6 and 1 of the casing 5 are provided on their undersides and adjacent to the semi-spherical recesses which form the cavity 9 with semi-circular complementary groovesI extending from the undersides of the sections and terminating in the recesses. When the sections are assembled together these grooves form the cylindrical opening I3 indicated in Fig. 1. The sections intermediate the ends of the grooves are provided with laterally extending rectangular recesses which when the sections are assembled together non-rotatably house a nut I4 which threadedly receives the setscrew I2.

The casing 5 has another cavity or chamber I5 adjacent to the chuck chamber 9 for receiving the controlling or actuating devices. A body or member I6'is movably mounted in the chamber I5 and carries the valve operating the air transferring devices. A portion of the member I6 is provided with a bore I1 and has its open end I8 in juxtaposition or alignment with the open side of the air chuck I0 as shown in Fig. l. The bore is shaped and threaded to removably receive the standard or conventional air valve insidesf I 9 having a valve pin 20 which is adapted to coact with the projection or pin 2I of the chuck valve.

It will be noted that the insides I 9 can be screwed into or from operative position without separating the vcasing sections and merely by removing the chuck and setscrew I2 and passing a suitable tool through the opening in the nut I4.

The bore I1 is inrcommunication with a passage 22 extending laterally from the bore I1 and formed in the body or member I6. The body or member I6 is guided in its sliding movements in the chamber I5 by bearings 23 and 24, and has an upward projection 25 that extends outwardly of the casing. The outer end of the projection 25 is engaged by a lug 26 formed on the underside of an operating lever 21 which is pivotally connected as at 28 to the housing or casing 5 for operating the device as will presently be described. c

Each section of the housing is also provided with a'longitudinal semi-cylindrical cavity and when the sections 6 and 1 are assembled together these cavities form a gauge chamber 29 for receiving a gauge 30 which may be of any well known standard type, such as a Dill or Schrader gauge, but which is shown herein as of the Dill type wherein the numerals of the indicating member may be seen through a window or opening 3| in the side of the gauge cylinder.

The gauge is provided with a chuck or connecting member 32 which has its face or opening 33 at a slight angle to the axis of the gauge. The body or member I6 is provided with a short upward cylindrical extension 34 and there is formed in this extension and in the body I6 a bore 35 shaped to receive a conventional air' valve insides 36. The bore 35 is parallel to the bore II and is in communication with the passage 22. The bore 35 is also extended beyond the passage 22 and into a cylindrical extension 31 of the body I6. The open or' outer end of the extension 34 is adapted to coact with the open side of the chuck or connectingV member 32 while the valve pinV of the insides 36 is adapted to cooperate with the pin of the chuck valve to eiTect unseating of said valve and also unseating of the valve of thev insides The housing or casing 5 has bearings 39' and 43 for the extensions 3s and 3l. A1 spring 4I mounted in the chamber I'5- and surrounding the extension 3lof the body I6 normally maintains: the open end of the extension 34 inv contact with the gasket of the chuck 32, wherefore the pin 38 of said chuck contacts the pin of thel insides 35 to` normally unseat the valve of the insides and the gauge 35 is in communication with the passage 22. The spring 4I normally maintains the open end I3 of the bore II of the body I6 out of contact with the gasket of the chuck Ill, wherefore the valve of said chuck and the valve of the insides I9 are normally closed.

The chuck 32 of the gaugeis positively held in position by means of the setscrew 42 located in the upperside of the casing or housing 5 in a nut 43 mounted therein in a manner identical to the manner in which the nut I4' is mounted. The gauge may thus be positioned and clamped or locked in the inflator housing or casing by the setscrew 42 without requiring the separation of the sections S and `I. If it shouldlbe necessary to remove or replace the valve insides 36, the chuck 32 and setscrew 472 need only be removed and a suitable toolA inserted through the nut 43 and into engagement with the valve insides 35.`

The main longitudinal portions ofl the com'- plementary sections 6 and 'i of the casing 5 have semi-cylindrical cavities running lengthwise thereof to form a chamber 44 which is substantially parallel with the gauge chamber 29 and which is adapted to enclose portions of the air conducting devices. The body I5 is provided with a tubular lateral extension 45 projecting into the chamber 44' and this extension is in communication with the passage 22 of the-body I6. The extension 45 is externally threaded to receive the interiorly threaded portion 46 of a coupling fitting 4'! which is connected to one end of a length of rubber hose 48 extending through the chamber 44 and outwardly of the inflator. The outer end of the hose 43 is connected to an air chuck 49 by means of which the inlator can be connected to the valve stem of. a tire or other inflatable article as Will be Well understood. The inflator casing or housing 5 is provided with a l'oop 50 to enable the inflator to be hung up when not in use.

When a tire is to be inflated by means of the device described the operator grasps the housing in one hand and presses the chuck 49 onto the valve stem of the tire in the usual manner and which causes the tire valve and chuck valve to be opened thereby permitting air to enter the hose 48 and connected parts. In the normal position of the body I6, as already explained, the upper end of the extension 34 is pressed against the gauge chuck 32, and the valve of the insides 36 is open, thus providing a free passage for the air from the body to the gauge 33, wherefore the gauge will indicate the air pressure in the tire. At this time the valves of the chuck I0 and insides I 3 are closed and air from the source of supply does not enter the body I6. If the gauge indicates more air pressure is needed in the tire the operator presses the handle 2'I downwardly to move the body I6 against the action of the spring 4I and to disengage the upper end of the extension 34 from the gauge chuck 32 and bring the open end I3 of the bore I'I of the body I6 into engagement with the chuck I0. i/Vhen this occurs the valve of the insides 3S is seatedV` and the gauge is not in communication with the passage 22 or the tire While the valves of the chuck El] and the insides I9 are unseated' and air can iiow from the supply hose I I through the body I6 and hose 48 to the tire and the air pressureY in the tire increased. Whenever the operator wishes to determine the air pressure in the tire he merely allows the body I6 and handle 2'I to return to normal position under the action of the spring 4I.

Fromthe foregoing it will have been seen that the chucks I0 and 32 may be readily positioned in or removed from the inflator by loosening the setscrews I2 and 42 and that when they are mounted in theY inator and the setscrews tightened against the chucks the latter are positively locked in position. It is not necessary to disturb the assembledv relationship of the sections 6 and I of the casing 5 to mount and' clamp the chucks in the inlator. Also it will` have been noted that the openings through the-nuts I4V and 43 provide access for a tool to the insides Ill-and' 36 for purposes of removing or replacing the same. In addition it should be observed that the body I6 and associated extensions constitute an integral member.

Although an embodiment of the invention has beenA specifically described herein it should be understood that the invention is susceptible of such modifications and adaptations as comewithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A tire inating. device of the character specified comprising a two-part casing having complementary sections secured together, said casing being provided with a spherical: cavity toA receive a chuck and also with a second cavity in communication with the rst named cavity,

said casing sections being formed with complen mentary portions toy provide an opening through the casing and communicating with said first cavity and with portions to non-rotatably receive a nut, a nut mounted in said last portions in axial alignment with said opening, a setscrew in said opening and nut, a body in said second cavity and having a bore therein arranged in axial alignment with said opening and shaped; to receive a valve insides, said nut and opening: be'- ing of a size such that said valve insides maybe inserted in and removed from said bore through said nut and opening, said body at the open end of said bore being adaptedl to cooperate with said chuck.

2. A device of the character described comprising a two-part casing having complementary sections secured together, said sections being formed to provide a cavity for receiving an air gauge, said cavity including a spherical portion for the gauge chuck, said casing having a second cavity in communication with the spherical portion of the rst cavity, said casing sections being formed With complementary portions to provide an opening through the casing into the spherical portion of the rst cavity and with portions to non-rotatably receive a nut in axial alignment with said opening, a nut mounted therein, a setscrew in said nut for engaging the gauge chuck and positively locking the gauge in position, a body in said second cavity and having a bore therein arranged in axial alignment With said opening and shaped to receive a valve insides, said nut and opening being of a size such that said valve insides may be inserted in and removed from said bore through said nut and opening,

said body at the open end of said bore being adapted to cooperate with said gauge chuck.

3. A tire inflating device of the character specied comprising a two-part casing having complementary sections secured together, said casing being provided with a cavity to receive a chuck and also with a cavity in communication with the first named cavity, said casing sections being formed With complementary portions to provide an opening through the casing and communicating with said rst cavity and with portions to non-rotatably receive a nut, a nut mounted in said last portions in axial alignment With said opening, a body in said second cavity and having a bore therein arranged in axial alignment with said opening and said nut and which bore mounts a valve insides, said opening through the casing and through the threaded hole in the nut being of such diameter as to permit the passage of the valve insides therethrough.

JOHN C. CROWLEY. 

